Dionysius the Renegade
Encyclopedia
Dionysius the Renegade , also known as Dionysius of Heraclea
, was a Stoic
philosopher and pupil of Zeno of Citium
who, late in life, abandoned Stoicism when he became afflicted by terrible pain.
He was the son of Theophantus. In early life he was a disciple of Heraclides
, Alexinus
, and Menedemus
, and afterwards of Zeno, who appears to have induced him to adopt Stoicism
. At a later time he was afflicted with terrible eye pain, which caused him to abandon Stoic philosophy, and to join the Cyrenaics
, whose doctrine, that hedonism
and the absence of pain was the highest good, had more charms for him than the austere ethics of Stoicism. This renunciation of his former philosophical creed drew upon him the nickname of The Renegade . During the time that he was a Stoic, he was praised for his modesty, abstinence, and moderation, but afterwards he was described as a person greatly given to sensual pleasures. He died in his eightieth year of voluntary starvation. Diogenes Laërtius
mentions a series of works of Dionysius, all of which are lost:
Heraclea Pontica
Heraclea Pontica , an ancient city on the coast of Bithynia in Asia Minor, at the mouth of the river Lycus. It was founded by the Greek city-state of Megara c.560-558 and was named after Heracles who the Greeks believed entered the underworld at a cave on the adjoining Archerusian promontory .The...
, was a Stoic
STOIC
STOIC was a variant of Forth.It started out at the MIT and Harvard Biomedical Engineering Centre in Boston, and was written in the mid 1970s by Jonathan Sachs...
philosopher and pupil of Zeno of Citium
Zeno of Citium
Zeno of Citium was a Greek philosopher from Citium . Zeno was the founder of the Stoic school of philosophy, which he taught in Athens from about 300 BC. Based on the moral ideas of the Cynics, Stoicism laid great emphasis on goodness and peace of mind gained from living a life of virtue in...
who, late in life, abandoned Stoicism when he became afflicted by terrible pain.
He was the son of Theophantus. In early life he was a disciple of Heraclides
Heraclides Ponticus
Heraclides Ponticus , also known as Herakleides and Heraklides of Pontus, was a Greek philosopher and astronomer who lived and died at Heraclea Pontica, now Karadeniz Ereğli, Turkey. He is best remembered for proposing that the earth rotates on its axis, from west to east, once every 24 hours...
, Alexinus
Alexinus
Alexinus of Elis, was a philosopher of Megarian school and a disciple of Eubulides. From his argumentative nature he was facetiously named the wrangler , From Elis he went to Olympia, in the vain hope it is said, of founding a sect which might be called the Olympian; but his disciples soon became...
, and Menedemus
Menedemus
Menedemus of Eretria was a Greek philosopher and founder of the Eretrian school. He learned philosophy first in Athens, and then, with his friend Asclepiades, he subsequently studied under Stilpo and Phaedo of Elis. Nothing survives of his philosophical views apart from a few scattered remarks...
, and afterwards of Zeno, who appears to have induced him to adopt Stoicism
Stoicism
Stoicism is a school of Hellenistic philosophy founded in Athens by Zeno of Citium in the early . The Stoics taught that destructive emotions resulted from errors in judgment, and that a sage, or person of "moral and intellectual perfection," would not suffer such emotions.Stoics were concerned...
. At a later time he was afflicted with terrible eye pain, which caused him to abandon Stoic philosophy, and to join the Cyrenaics
Cyrenaics
The Cyrenaics were an ultra-hedonist Greek school of philosophy founded in the 4th century BC, supposedly by Aristippus of Cyrene, although many of the principles of the school are believed to have been formalized by his grandson of the same name, Aristippus the Younger. The school was so called...
, whose doctrine, that hedonism
Hedonism
Hedonism is a school of thought which argues that pleasure is the only intrinsic good. In very simple terms, a hedonist strives to maximize net pleasure .-Etymology:The name derives from the Greek word for "delight" ....
and the absence of pain was the highest good, had more charms for him than the austere ethics of Stoicism. This renunciation of his former philosophical creed drew upon him the nickname of The Renegade . During the time that he was a Stoic, he was praised for his modesty, abstinence, and moderation, but afterwards he was described as a person greatly given to sensual pleasures. He died in his eightieth year of voluntary starvation. Diogenes Laërtius
Diogenes Laertius
Diogenes Laertius was a biographer of the Greek philosophers. Nothing is known about his life, but his surviving Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers is one of the principal surviving sources for the history of Greek philosophy.-Life:Nothing is definitively known about his life...
mentions a series of works of Dionysius, all of which are lost:
- Περὶ ἀπαθείας - On Apathy, in two books.
- Περὶ ἀσκήσεως - On Training, in two books.
- Περὶ ἡδονῆς - On Pleasure, in four books.
- Περὶ πλούτου καὶ χάριτος καὶ τιμωρίας - On Riches, and Favours, and Revenge.
- Περὶ ἀνθρώπων χρήσεως - On the Use of Men.
- Περὶ εὐτυχίας - On Good Fortune.
- Περὶ ἀρχαίων βασιλέων - On Ancient Kings.
- Περὶ τῶν ἐπαινουμένων - On Things which are Praised.
- Περὶ βαρβαρικῶν ἐθῶν - On Barbarian Customs.